6AH (628 CE): TRUCE OF HUDAYBlYYA: After the years of war, the Prophet (PBUH) decided to go on pilgrimage. He set out for the journey with seven hundred pilgrims and seventy camels. When the Quraysh got wind of this, they resolved to prevent the Muslims from hajj, despite the assurance from the Muslims that there would be no bloodshed, for they were not for war but pilgrimage. To this effect, the Quraysh raised an army under Khalid ibn Walid. But the two parties later agreed to dialogue·after much consultations, the result of which was the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. Part of the agreement was that the two sides lay aside war for ten years during which there would be no hostilities from both ends and that the Muslims could come for their hajj proper the following year. The respite was what the nascent state of Islam required to prosper.
7AH (629 CE): EXPEDITION TO KHAYBAR: This year, the expedition to Khaybar (the stronghold of the Jewish tribes in the North Arabia) took place. During the process some of their leaders were killed, a lot of properties seized and some captives were taken among whom was Safiya (RA); the daughter of the chief of Khaybar, whom the Prophet (PBUH) later married after her mamumission. The key to the success of the battle of Khaybar was the Prophet's tactical stop-over at ar-Raji - to crush her army. Undoubtedly, they would have teamed up with the clan of Khaybar against the Muslims.
7AH (629CE):THE YEAR OF DEPUTATIONS: Later in the same year, the Prophet (PBUH) sent letters to various heads of the neighbouring states inviting them to Islam. Among them was Heraclius, who, though did not accept Islam, replied in a gentle manner back to the Prophet (PBUH) as against expectations. Al-Harith of Ghassan on his part, got annoyed on seeing the letter and intended to attack Arabia because of this but for the intervention of Heraclius. When the letter got to Chosroes of Persia who was still nursing his last defeat in the hands of Heraclius, he cursed Arab empire and ordered that the Prophet (PBUH) should be searched for. Instead of carrying out his assignment, those he sent became Muslims. He later passed away. At Abyssinia and Egypt, the result was favourable, the former was due to the already existing cordial relationship between the two tribes while the latter was because the Emperor believed that yet another prophet was to come to the world.
This article was culled from the publications of Deen Communication Limited